Open-end ratchet wrenches of the spanner type



Oct. 22, 1957 R. w. HERMANSON ,8

OPEN-END RATCHET WRENCHES OF THE SPANNER TYPE 7 Filed June 18, 1954 FIG. I.

INVENTORZ RAYMO o w. HERMANSON.

BY ff 4 ATTORNEY.

2,810,313 Patented Oct. 22, '1957 OPEN-END RATCHET WRENCHES OF THE SPANNER TYPE Raymond W. Hermanson, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Plomb Tool Company,

Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation Application June 18, 1954, Serial No. 437,625

2 Claims. (Cl. 8190) This invention consists in new and useful improvements in wrenches and relates more particularly to open-end, ratchet wrenches of the spanner type. One of the objects of the invention resides in the provision of an improved head for wrenches of this type which can be manufactured at a minimum of cost without in any way sacrificing its strength and adaptability.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spanner wrench head formed of a pair-of stampings, which, when superimposed, form the walls of a housing for the work gripping dogs or ratchets, thus simplifying the construction andassembly of the wrench parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved work gripping mechanism, arranged in the wrench head which acts as a ratchet and quickly and firmly grips the work piece when the wrench is rotated in one direction andreleases the work piecefor repeated gripping upon rotation in the'opposite direction.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features herein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In accordance with the present invention a wrench head is provided with an arcuate work receiving mouth, adapted to span the work piece and carrying two opposed pivoted dogs which have their work engaging faces spring biased so as to normally lie in work engaging positions. These dogs are pivotally mounted in suitable recesses on opposite sides of the wrench head, in such a manner that when the wrench is rotated in one direction the work cams the dogs into the recesses so that they slide idly over the work piece, and when the wrench is rotated in the opposite direction the biasing of the dogs causes them to protrude into the work aperture and to firmly grip the work piece so that the work will turn with the wrench.

Referring to the drawings, in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the wrench head in place on a splined work piece;

Fig. 2 is a view of the wrench in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

In the drawings, the wrench head is generally designated by the numeral 6 and as shown in Fig. 5, consists of a pair of superimposed metal stampings 7 and 8, which are substantially arcuate in plan profile as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 to provide a pair of jaw elements for at least partially encircling a workpiece. Each of the stampings 7 and 8 is provided on its outer, convex edge with a right angularly directed flange 9 which, when the stampings are assembled, jointly form the side wall of a housing. The proper assembly of the stampings may be facilitated by the provision of a pair of complementary and interengaging index fingers 10, formed in the adjacent fia nges 9 of respective stampings, as seen in Fig. 2. These fingers are arranged to seek cooperative engagement in orienting the stampings during assembly.

Within the housing formed by the stampings, 7 and 8, there is provided a spacer block 11, consisting of a series of metal laminations, shaped to fit closely within the confines ofthe housing, and of substantially similar plan profile. As will be seen from Fig. 3, the ends of the spacer block 11 terminate short of the respective ends of the opposed stampings 7 and 8, thus providing chambers within the housing, for the accommodation of pivoted work-engaging dogs or ratchets 12 and 13, as willhereinafter be described more in detail.

The laminations of the spacer block 11 are transversely drilled at suitable spaced points and provided with bushings 14 for receiving connecting pins or rivets 15 which pass through and secure the stampings 7 and 8. As best seen in Fig. 5, the main webs of each stamping are formed with openings to receive the rivets 15 and the defining edges of the openings are dimpled as at 16. The opposed dimples of respective stampings extend inwardly of the housing and are received by the corresponding ends of the-bushing passageways in the laminations 11, the bushings 14 being of such a length that the opposite end faces of the same are engaged by the inner extremities of respective dimples 16, when the stampings are secured together by the rivets 15.

The central portion of the head 6 is provided with a squared opening 17 which extends through the stampings 7 and 8 and the spacer block 11, for receiving the squared end of an operating tool or handle 18 as shown in Figs.-

One dog 12 and the adjacent end of the spacer block 2 11 are relatively positioned so that an edge face of the dog firmly engages the end of the spacer block 11 which acts as a shoulder or stop for the pivoted dog which is tensioned into engagement with the shoulder by the spring 21. The dog 12 is permitted freedom of movement or rotation in the opposite direction due to the absence of any obstruction within that end of the housing. The opposite dog 13, under the tension of its spring 21, is normally urged clockwise into contact with a stop pin 23 which is secured between the two housing stampings 7 and 8 and movement of this dog in counterclockwise direction is permitted by terminating the end 24 of the spacer block 11 a sufiicient distance short of the end of the housing, to form a clearance space 25.

The concave edge 7a of the stamping 7 is coextensive with the corresponding concave edges of the laminations of spacer block 11, so that jointly they form the inner wall of the arcuate mouth 20 which embraces the periphery of the work piece 26. In the embodiment of the invention shown, the wrench is illustrated in use in connection with a work piece 26 having a series of peripheral splines 27 and as shown in Fig. 3, the dogs 12 and 13 are normally urged inwardly so that they automatically enter the splines 27 of the work piece 26.

The concave edge 8a of the opposite stamping 8, is preferably extended inwardly as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, to form an arcuate flange which overlies the flat face of the work piece 26 adjacent its periphery and serves to facilitatethe positioning of the wrench'head n the workpiece. Thus, with the .wrenchin ..p1ace iovervthe work piece 26, the wrench is supported on the work piece and permitted to rotate in either direction without becoming displaced. 4Rotationcfztheiwrench in;eloekwise;direction (Fig.3) hcauses vthexteeth .2-2 .of the opposed ;dogs 12 and 1 3 tooperatively .engage the splines.:27 in the work piece 26, and .as:furtherrpivotal:movementof:the dogs is; preventedby their respective abutments the work piece isrdtated with:the wrench. :Rotationofithewrench in counterclockwise "direction causes :the dogs 'to be cammedinto theirrespective recesses'within the housing 6,,until they fall adjacent a-second-set of .splines 27zfor a;repetitionrof the} clockwise rotation of =the wrench.

It-will thus be seen that I'have provideda-spanner wrenchof simple and inexpensiveconstruction, which comprisesaasminimum ofparts, .yet is sturdy and durable in design. The wrench is:positive.:and quick in action and .is .easily'operative ,to-engage and release the :work

piece without binding. The automatiq-ratchet type \work engaging dogs, and their relationship to thehousing and spacer block, offer an extremely strong .and etfective wrenchforthe purposes intended.

From theforegoing it is believed that myinvention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, without further description, itbeingborne in mind that numerous changes may-be madesin the details disclosed, without departingfrom the spirit of the invention asset out inthe appended claims.

I;claim:

1. Ina spanner wrench,a wrench headhaving -a substantially semi-circular mouth forreceivinga workpiece and comprising a pair of superimposed stampings, said stampings including substantially parallel webs which are spaced from each other in a direction along the axis of said. mouthand also including substantially right angle flanges along edges of said webs, said flanges extending toward .one .another and having .their opposing edges abutting, and a series of superimposed relatively thin reinforcing spacer plates having plan profiles similar to and interposed between said webs of the stampings, and means for securing said stampings and spacer plates into a rigid unitary assembly.

2. The. subject mattenof claim .1 wherein said stampings and spacer platesincludeaareuate extensions forming on the head a pair of arcuate jaw elements embracing said mouth, the arcuate extensions of the spacer plates terminating short of corresponding extremities of the arcuate extensions of the stampings whereby to define recesses ,at. said extrernities, -a W0rk.-.ngaging dog pivotally mounted within each of said recesses for projection and retraction relative to said mouth, spring means normally urging the work engaging ends of said dogs into said mouth, and abutments in said recesses positioned to hold'said dogs :againstpivotal movement when the wrench is turned inone directionand' to release said dogsforpivotal movement into said recesses whenthe wrench is turned in the opposite. direction.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 620,143 Johnson Feb. 28, 1899 810,304 Remion Jan. 16, 1906 1,198,913 Hamelback Sept. 19,.1916 1,913,906 Swenson June 13,1933 2,578,687 ,Fish Dec. 18,1951 2,659,257 Thompson. :Nov. 17, 1953 2,700,315 ,Herrna-nson Jan. 25, .1955

FOREIGN PATENTS 828,676 Germany Jan. 21,1952 

